A communication device can be understood as a device provided with appropriate communication and control capabilities for enabling use thereof for communication with others parties. The communication may comprise, for example, communication of voice, electronic mail (email), text messages, data, multimedia and so on. A communication device typically enables a user of the device to receive and transmit communication via a communication system and can thus be used for accessing various service applications.
A communication system is a facility which facilitates the communication between two or more entities such as the communication devices, network entities and other nodes. A communication system may be provided by one or more interconnect networks. One or more gateway nodes may be provided for interconnecting various networks of the system. For example, a gateway node is typically provided between an access network and other communication networks, for example a core network and/or a data network.
An appropriate access system allows the communication device to access to the wider communication system. An access to the wider communications system may be provided by means of a fixed line or wireless communication interface, or a combination of these. Communication systems providing wireless access typically enable at least some mobility for the users thereof. Examples of these include wireless communications systems where the access is provided by means of an arrangement of cellular access networks. Other examples of wireless access technologies include different wireless local area networks (WLANs) and satellite based communication systems.
A wireless access system typically operates in accordance with a wireless standard and/or with a set of specifications which set out what the various elements of the system are permitted to do and how that should be achieved. For example, the standard or specification may define if the user, or more precisely user equipment, is provided with a circuit switched bearer or a packet switched bearer, or both. Communication protocols and/or parameters which should be used for the connection are also typically defined. For example, the manner in which communication should be implemented between the user equipment and the elements of the networks and their functions and responsibilities are typically defined by a predefined communication protocol. Such protocols and or parameters further define the frequency spectrum to be used by which part of the communications system, the transmission power to be used etc.
In the cellular systems a network entity in the form of a base station provides a node for communication with mobile devices in one or more cells or sectors. It is noted that in certain systems a base station is called ‘Node B (NB)’ or “eNode B (eNB)”. Typically the operation of a base station apparatus and other apparatus of an access system required for the communication is controlled by a centralised control entity (which centralised control entity is typically interconnected with other centralised control entities of the particular communication network), or every base station (e.g. eNodeB) contains its own local control entity. Examples of cellular access systems include, in order of their evolution, GSM (Global System for Mobile) EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution) Radio Access Networks (GERAN), Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Networks (UTRAN) and evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN).
Relay nodes are intermediate access nodes via which a user equipment can access a main access node. Some aims of relay nodes in cellular radio access networks include: extending coverage of the radio access network; providing high-bit-rate coverage in high shadowing environments; reducing average radio-transmission power and thereby better conserving battery power at user equipments; enhancing cell capacity and effective throughput by, for example, increasing cell-edge capacity and balancing cell load; and enhancing the overall performance and deployment cost of the radio access network.
The cellular radio access network includes a network of main access nodes to which a user equipment in the right environment/location can establish a direct wireless connection. User equipments at disadvantaged positions such as cell edges and high shadowing areas can have access to a main access node via the combination of a wireless connection between the user equipment and a relay node and a wireless connection between the relay node and the main access node.
One feature of one proposed system is that any access node of the cellular radio access network (including relay nodes) should have configuration information about neighbouring access nodes. In particular, each access node should have the necessary configuration information to establish a link with a neighbouring access node other than via the core network associated with the access nodes of the radio access network, in preparation for a possible handover of a user equipment from one access node to a neighbouring access node. There has been identified the challenge of distributing such configuration information relating to relay nodes in an efficient manner.
It is an aim to meet this challenge.